Picker-stick.



H. M. HARMON & R. O. LIBBEY.

PICKER STICK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10,1916.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

" "UNITED STATES PANT OFFICE.

x HENRY M. HABMON, OF WEBSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, AND RICHARD O. LIBBEg, OF

NORWICH, CONNECTICUT. I

' PICKEB-STICK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed March 10, 1916. Serial No. 83,418.

new and useful Picker-Stick, of'which the .10

following is a specification.

This invention relates to the picker-stick and connected parts of a loom. 0

The principal objects of the invention are to provide picking mechanism which shall not be liable to split, crack, or warp, and will not break under ordinary use, and which will not be affected by heat, cold or moisture; to provide a picker stick which will be sufficiently rigid and also have suflicient resiliency to prevent itsbemg too se Vere in operation; and to provide a construction that will be easy to adjust and will be of plain and simple design.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front. elevation of a pickerstick, lug and lug-strap constructed in acordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the horizontal section line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is'a longitudinal sectional vlew of the picker-stick and also showing the lug in section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Picker-sticks as now constructed of wood are subjected to an extremely severe usage.

and have a very short life. As is well under.- stood also the lugs and lug-straps for operating them are very short lived in spite of the fact that various devices have been invented for the purpose of lengthening their time of useful service. This invention is designed for the purpose vof securing these results and the others mentioned without unduly adding to the weight or expense-of the parts.

' Referring particularly to the drawings it will be seen that we have shown a pickerstick 10 of a form very similarto that which is well-known in this art and also a lug strap 11 and lug 12. It is to these parts that this invention relates.

In the manufacture of a picker-stick according to the preferred embodiment of this invention, two steel'plates 13 are employed extending the full length of the picker-stick.

These are spaced apart and between them are placed one or inore layers 14 of compressed fiber or strong tough paper. These layers if of paper are covered with an adhesive substance on both sides and pressed together between the metal strips. If made of compressed fiber the whole inner core between the plates can be molded in one plece. The metal strips are preferably con nected by rivets 18 so as to form a strong core. The principal purpose of the metal nner core is to prevent the fiber from warpmg. Then a sheet or sheets 15 of tough paper compressed or indurated fiber are sup-' plied with a layer of liquid adhesive substance on each side and then Wound tightly around this structure so as to produce a plcker-stick of the form shown in the drawlngs. These parts are compressed under heavy pressure so asto thoroughly cement them together at their contiguous surfaces and secure a single homogeneous structure which will constitute the picker-stick without any additionalassistance. In Fig. 1 it will be noted that the layers of paper are indicated showing how the paper is wound on the core.

A picker-stick constructed in this manner I is complete in itself as it comes from the mold or clamp in which it is compressed, except that it is perforated or bored at 17 for the fulcrum bolt on which the picker-stick is pivoted. It will be understood that in-- stead'of winding the papeF or fiber around the core, fiber can be applied in a shapeless mass and molded under heavy pressure, but

we prefer the winding as in that way paper that is not vulcanized or indurated can be used to advantage. I

In the formation of the lug strap 11 the same process preferably is employed, but in this case there is shown a single inner core '20 of steel or other metal covered with a. uniform coating 21 offiber or paper on both,

sides, compressed together and provided with a hole through each-end-for the bolt 22 which connects it with the lug 12. The lug also is made in this wayhaving a single core 24 of steel and the compressed fiber or paper 25 secured thereon.

They are not affected by heat, cold or moisits length and crack and split is ture and are sufliciently rigid for ordinary purposes, yet the picker-stick by reason of construction has suflicient r esiliency to prevent its being too severe 1 operation, and consequently all the parts are extremely long lived as has been shown by comparative tests made under the conditions existing in a weaving room.

In this way all wooden material is elimi-'v and described, nor to the combination of the three elements, except as specified in the claims.

Having thus what we claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture,

described our invention,

a picker- 'tending throughout the length of the the three elements, lug and lug-strap connected stick comprising a core formed of 'metal exl;

stic

and having a coating surrounding the same of paper material compressed on the core and extending throughout the length thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pickerstick comprising a core of substantially the length of the picker-stick comprising substantially parallel strips of thin metal having between them paper stock secured together and secured to the metal strips and having a layer of paper stock in a compressed and hardened condition entirely sur rounding them.

3. As an article of manufacture, a pickerstick comprising a core having a continuous homogeneous coating of paper stock in sheet form wound about the same and adhering thereto.

4. As an article of manufacture, a pickerstick composed mainly of paper stock in a hardened and compressed condition and provided with a metallic core extending therethrough from end to end to prevent its warpm g.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

HENRY M. HARMON. RICHARD O. LIBBEY. 

